"I am not a refugee. I have my job here," the immaculately dressed Husam told Al Jazeera in front of his shop on a bustling street.

"The moment I feel my country is fine I will definitely go back. I hope all Syrians can return to their country."

Hundreds of other Syrians have come to West Africa since the war erupted. Their entry point has often been Mauritania, a country that Syrians can travel to without a visa.

In Senegal, Husam says he is free, which is not how he sees those who go to Europe.

"I imagine Europe as a big prison. You can’t move freely," he says. "Every move needs permission from governments. They also have restrictions imposed on refugees in Europe. Life is tough for them."

Last year, more than one million refugees arrived in the EU by boat from Turkey to Greece. More than 143,000 have landed on Europe's shores this year alone, according to the International Organization for Migration.